Profile of adverse effects of corticosteroid therapy in pemphigus and bullous pemphigoid according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) at the Yalgado Ouédraogo University Hospital in Ouagadougou

Introduction: Pemphigus vulgaris and bullous pemphigoid are serious diseases that are mainly treated with systemic corticosteroid therapy. The aim of this study was to describe the profile of adverse effects of corticosteroid therapy in the treatment of pemphigus and bullous pemphigoid. Materials and Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study in the dermatology and venereology department of the CHU-YO (University Hospital of Yaoundé) involving all patients followed for pemphigus or bullous pemphigoid from January1, 2018, to December 31, 2022. Results: We collected data on 41 patients, including 27 cases of pemphigus and 14 cases of bullous pemphigoid. The average age was 56.85 years. The sex ratio was 0.95. Oral corticosteroids consisting of prednisone and prednisolone were prescribed at a starting dose ranging from 1 to 1.5 mg/kg/day in combination with topical corticosteroids in 16 patients (39.02%). The consolidated side effect profile according to the simplified CTCAE classification showed a predominance of grade 2 effects (55.4%), followed by grade 1 effects (34.8%). Severe effects (grade ≥ 3) accounted for 9.8%. Clinically, general and metabolic disorders as well as skin and systemic infections were the most common. Biological effects were mainly biochemical, with a high frequency of glycemic and ionic disorders. Conclusion: The use of the simplified CTCAE allowed for a standardized and consolidated analysis of the adverse effect profile, highlighting a predominance of grade 1 and 2 effects in pemphigus and grade ≥ 3 effects in bullous pemphigoid.